Millet-based intercropping systems facilitated by beneficial microbes for climate-resilient, sustainable farming in tropics

Summary

Climate change is arguably the biggest threat being faced by humankind, one that impacts billions of people through soil erosion, extreme droughts, uneven and unpredictable rains during the cropping season, rises in sea level, etc. Climate-induced droughts limit crop growth and productivity, eventually affecting millions of marginal farmers. Millets are predominantly grown in rainfed and arid regions, especially in the tropical zones of Asia and Africa. They are rich in macro and micronutrients that can complement other sources of nutrition such as cereals, vegetables, fruits, milk, meat and eggs. Millet-based intercropping systems have been practiced in India over centuries. Nevertheless, a sustainable intensification of millet-based intercropping has not yet been achieved. Recent research findings have shown that millet and legume intercropping facilitated by biofertilizers, such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria, is a promising innovative tool. This chapter aims at exploring research and development perspectives for promoting millet-based intercropping systems for sustainable farming, particularly in the tropics.